Good Friday

Ez - posted on 04/01/2010
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I saw a friend's status this morning, and it basically said that anyone who eats meat on Good Friday has no respect. So it made me curious... if you are an athiest, agnostic or simply non-practising, do you ignore the no-meat tradition?

Personally, I am a loooooooong non-practising Catholic and consider myself an agnostic, but still adhere to this tradition for some reason. Maybe it's my upbringing. Maybe it's out of respect to those around me. Or maybe it's just habit. My family are not church-goers, but they still observe this holiday and tradition. Usually we have a seafood lunch, but nobody goes to Church and there is no talk of the actual history behind the occasion.

So my question is, is it in fact disrespectful to eat meat on Good Friday? Or is it just a case of individuals exercising their religious freedoms by not partaking in the tradition?

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Ez - posted on 04/03/2010

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Lent is the 40 days (excluding Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter. It is a period of fasting and penitence observed by Catholics and some other denominations of Christianity. Historically they ate only one meal a day, and meat, dairy and eggs were forbidden. They also abstained from dancing, entertainment and sex. Now the tradition involves no meat on Fridays during this time, and sacrificing some other luxury of your choice.

What is this no-meat tradition.. I love my meat! I don't think it's disrespectful to eat meat if it's not your religion or if you're not practicing. It's like I worked with a ton of arabs at my sales job, but i'm not going to fast during the day during ramadan. I'm not going to flaunt my tasty lunch of course, but it's just not my religion.

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Linda - posted on 04/06/2010

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I was raised Catholic, but don't practice anymore.... unless it's just to make my dad happy. We never ate meat on Fridays during Lent. I usually forgot til I was half done with a pepperoni pizza at school. My dad still fasts, or at least eats less on Fridays. Especially Good Friday. But even he told me he can wait til next year when he's 60 so he doesn't have to do it anymore. There are all sorts of medical and age provisions that the Catholic church puts out for loop holes. I think they are trying to make it more palatable for the great number of people who probably shouldn't fast, but don't want to feel guilty for not doing it. I think that's also why most churches won't ask you to not eat meat on Fridays all year. I'm really surprised how many people have never even heard of it, but I guess if you weren't raised around it, it wouldn't be something you'd be aware of. I was 17 before I realized McD's only advertises their fish sandwich during Lent, tho.

....As for why the Jewish aren't supposed to mix meat and milk..... I believe it has something to do with the Kosher-ness of a meal. Cooking a calf in the milk of it's mother is not Kosher. They are supposed to have separate dishes and pans for it.

My family and I are Catholic, and we actually don't eat meat on any friday during Lent. Good Friday is the last of those, and we have never eaten meat on that day either. I have NEVER heard of a non-catholic person keeping that tradition for any reason (unless, like my husband, they joined a family that IS Catholic). He went with us to the community fish fry each friday during lent, and enjoyed his fish...I would not have been offended, however, if he chose to eat meat on those days...

I've never heard of that tradition, and my dad is a pastor (Methodist Church). We always ate like normal on Good Friday. I'll have to ask my best friend (who is a semi-participating Catholic - she has to work most Sunday mornings) to see if she follows the tradition, or if her mother does (her mom goes to the Catholic Church every Sunday).

"Can someone explain how the tradition of no-meat on Fridays during Lent is all about? I know some of my Catholic friends sort of in a roud abotu way observe it. How come no meat on Fridays? "

As I understood it, fasting and not eating meat on Fridays of Lent was supposed to signify the 40days Jesus spend in fasting in the desert to become closer to God the Father (Jesus is God the Son, and there is a Holy Spirit, but all three are supposed to be one God in three different entities....I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that, not sure I'll ever understand it). Apparently, it works like the rubber band memory method--the sensation of the rubber band around your wrist or finger reminds you of something you put it there to remind you of. During Lent, the hunger pangs remind you of Christ's suffering and to pray. I think.

You know, even tho I'm not Catholic, (or even Christian lol) I always wanted to observe Lent. I don't know why, but ever since I was a little girl I would think about what I would like to give up for 40 days. Yeah I'm weird :P But I'm sure one day I'll do it!

Sharon, tell him, just pour a bunch of oil into a big pot, roll the fish and potatoes in seasoned corn meal (or ready made fish fry) and drop it all into the steaming hot oil. When its golden brown use a pair of tongs to take it out. Couldn't be simpler.

My catholic husband is in the kitchen trying to figure out how my digital deepfryer works. He's been on about this for days.

So far I've had to help clean the kitchen, help him take apart the deepfryer, help him clean the deepfryer, help him put it together, help him figure out where the fill line is inside, help him figure out how to set the temperature, help him read the batter packages, help him decide if he was going to double dip or not, help him figure out how to make french fries, fry before the fish? fry after?

Sharon, you crack me up! I'm cooking home-made pork sausages that will be served with gnocchi and a tomato/fennel sauce and topped with.... romano cheese. And then we'll serve the entire thing with a nice Italian red. I guess I'm joining Krista in offending almost every religion (save the Hindus) all at once. Perhaps we'll have to have some sort of cow related appetizer just to make sure we've covered all the bases.

Most Catholics think that Vatican II did away with the requirement of not eating meat on any Friday of the year. Most think it is now just Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent that we cannot eat meat.

This is what the new Code of Canon Law brought out in 1983 says about the matter:

Canon 1251

Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can someone explain how the tradition of no-meat on Fridays during Lent is all about? I know some of my Catholic friends sort of in a roud abotu way observe it. How come no meat on Fridays?

OK, so I'll throw another 'no-no' food & religion at ya: Did you know that Jews are NOT supposed to mix meat with dairy? No steak with a glass of milk? No burger with chocolate milk. I grew up knowing that rule while we were in my grandma's home, not my own house. I don't know the reason why, I should ask my dad!

i work in retail and on ash wednesday (the beginning of lent) years ago i saw a whole bunch of people come in with a dirt smudge on their forhead. i couldn't get over how many people were just plain dirty that day and i had no clue what was going on. i told somebody that i thought it was weird everybody was dirty and they laughed their butts off at my expense. apparantly people also smear ashes on their forhead in observance of lent, i am very ignorant sometimes!! lol!

Well it seems some other friends jumped on this person, basically reminding her that it was a predominantly Catholic tradition etc. Around here other denominations do observe this rule too, so it's interesting to find that elsewhere people didn't even know it existed.

Oh and as for Lent, I certainly don't observe that tradition, and neither does my (very lapsed Catholic) family. It's weird that they stick to the Good Friday meat ban but ignore Lent.

We had pork sausage for supper, so we managed to offend Catholics, Jews AND Muslims! Oh, plus we had a side salad with arugula, to offend the right-wingers with our liberal eliteness. And we washed it down with a cold beer, to offend the teetotalers.

in the church i grew up in these traditions were never followed and it wasn't until i was older, maybe 18 that i had even heard of it. i now consider myself atheist, but when i was following i still ate meat and found it silly that people wouldn't. how does not eating meat prove that you love god? do you love him less cause you ate a big juicy steak? i consider good works, and living a life of good deeds prove that you love god-not giving up a cheeseburger. if someone wants to do this to show their devotion to god, by all means do it, just don't think you're a better christian than your fellowchurchgoer who ate meat.

if i was out with someone that followed this tradition i would still eat meat, i don't think it's disrespectful to do so, why should i follow another religions belief?

I didn't even know that you weren't suppose to eat meat on good friday. Hmmmm you learn somehthing everyday. I am not religious but i do believe in god. I don't think it is disrespectful to anyone considering everyone has there own beliefs.

I think the no-meat thing was true for EVERY Friday year-round prior to Vatican II in 1962, as well as completely fasting prior to receiving Communion. After that, Catholics only had to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent.

I'm also pretty sure that the no-meat thing is only done by Catholics, and not all Christians.

I'm a Christian but of the Lutheran religion and I've never grown up with no meat Fridays. We've never fasted for Lent or anything. I never really understood the purpose of fasting until I was much older. But, where I live Friday night Fish Frys are a huge tradition all year round. If you are a resturant owner you had better have a fish fry if you want any business on Friday night. Obviously people can order whatever they want, there is meat on the menu but the majority of people come out for the fish fry whether it's a religious motivation or way to wreck something that was healthy for you motivation.

Well we're off to McDonalds to give the kids a Good Friday treat, so we obviously don't follow this rule. My MIL does even though she's not catholic, she does lent as well but I don't know why. I think she's just trying to hedge her bets and follow some rules just in case lol!!

lol - I'm with Jocelyn. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to eat meat on Good Friday. Anyway, now that I know, I'll still eat meat tonight - hehe. Sorry, a meal just isn't a meal without meat for me. Sorry people! No disrespect.

Erin, this is what I mean when I refer to myself as "culturally Catholic". I can't tell you the last time I went to mass when it wasn't a funeral, wedding or major holiday (and then, only to please my parents & accompany them). There are some "traditions" that I maintain, such as the no meat on Fridays in Lent, giving up something for Lent, having an Advent Wreath and lighting that additional candle each Sunday, and whatnot, that I continue to do every year. It's not so much faith-based as it is maintaining the traditions of my childhood.

As for others eating meat on Fridays...I never considered that a non-Catholic would...it's not part of their beleif system, so why would they? Growing up, if my mom were to take me and some friends to,say, McDonald's on a Friday in lent, SHe would make ME get that nasty fish sandwich, but my non-Catholic friends could still get a burger, no big deal.

I don't participate in any religious traditions. I respect everyone's choice to participate or to not participate in any tradition they want, but I certainly don't feel that I am disrespecting anyone by not participating in their tradition, just as much as I don't think they are disrespecting me by participating in their tradition even though I am there, and I don't.

I don't practice those religions so I am in no way obligated to follow their rules. It would only be disrespectful if I went to their house for a Good Friday potluck or something and showed up with meat. As someone else mentioned I don't have to fast during Ramadan nor Lent, and I am free to eat pork products and raw fish despite what some religions believe about those products. Does your friend honor the dietary rules of all other religions? If not, she's a hypocrite.

I'm a Christian and I've never given this tradition any thought. I probably never will again. I'm vegetarian so I don't eat meat on any day of the year, but that's a personal choice and has nothing to do with my faith.

I read my bible every day and I've never come across anything that states that one should not eat meat on Good Friday or any other Friday. It's a tradition, but not a rule. Each Christian should adopt or abstain from extra biblical traditions that enable them to personally honor God. They should also leave the rest of us alone to do likewise.

Oh goodness...being in south Louisiana if you eat meat on any Friday during Lent you are pretty much doomed to Hell....kidding but you know what I mean. I am not Catholic but the vast majority of the people that live in my area are. Restaurants and schools cater to this pretty heavily. Schools serve fish patties every Friday during Lent. I went to a Baptist wedding recently on a Friday and no meat was served.

We joke about how much of a sacrafice it is to not eat steak on Fridays. We just have a crawfish boil instead! Let me tell you, it is so hard...lol!

It's just so ingrained in the culture here, that I don't think twice about it. But I don't think it is disrespectful to eat meat, and I don't think any of my Catholic friends would be offended if I did.

It's not disrespectful if it's not your belief. The only exception, I think, is if you are visiting family that is uber religious and you know that they will take offense if you eat meat on that certain day.

I have never heard of this no meat tradition. I am an athiest so I will be celebrating tomorrow by having paid day off, sleeping in, doing yard work and drinking beer in the sun. Now that's a good Friday!

That's just silly. Am I also supposed to fast during Ramadan? If I don't follow that religion, then why should I follow its practices?

Of course, if I was out to dinner that day with someone who I knew to be a hardcore Catholic, then I'd probably order the fish. But if I'm not in the company of a hardcore Catholic, then damn tooting I'm going to eat meat on Good Friday. It's not about respecting or disrespecting Catholics. I just feel no need to adhere to their religious practices, particularly if they're not THERE.

I never knew you weren't suppose to eat meat! The things you learn :) I don't think that it is disrespectful (to the general public) but it obviously CAN be disrespectful (like if you were chowing down on a burger in front of a serious practicing Christian lol) I have never observed Good Friday and probably never will. But as a veggie I'm glad to know I won't unintentionally offend anyone with my tofu :P

I wouldn't say it's disrespectful. I come from a very Catholic family so the whole Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week and Easter Sunday was a big part of my upbringing. And even though I don't go to church like I did as a kid, there are some things that I continue to do every year. So by choice, I still don't eat meat on Friday's during lent, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Now if you ask Josh about my half-ass practices he would probably say I'm silly. He wasn't raised anywhere near the Catholic church so has never had the desire to pick up the practices. And I would never think it as disrespectful that he doesn't follow suit. I am just continuing on traditions and practices that I was taught from a young age and he is doing the same. =)